Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

81 reviews

sai_like_sigh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, and Colonisation

Minor: Animal death, Death, and Abandonment

star crossed lovers, suicide as plot device, self-sacrifice, Cinderella trope

becann's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Engaging and intriguing story. Characters growing with and in spite of their flaws. 

This book is a beautiful look into this culture with many relatable moments.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Death of parent

micaelamariem's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was a great read, inspired by Mayan mythology which I got to learn more about as I parsed my way through this. I love the themes of narrative and myths and accepting and/or changing destiny. I love the slow burn. I love the bittersweet ending. I love the descriptions of everywhere in 1920s Mexico contrasted with Xibalba. I love the healing journey the characters go through to end the cycle of trauma. There’s just so much here to love. It took me a while to get into it but that was just a me thing because I was so busy. Once I forced myself to be still, I really loved this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

town_scar's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was a beautifully written myth and tale. It's use of prose was outstanding and it painted beautiful (and delightfully horrifying) images in my mind.

My main struggle was that some of the time transitions were jarring enough that I fell out of the story and got confused as to what was going on. This was largely in the first third of the book. 

Nonetheless, it was a riveting story and a fantastic tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it has given me a far deeper appreciation of Mexico and it's many indigenous cultures. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy

lady_valhella's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

There is a rivalry between twin brothers and something like a rivalry between a female and male cousin. There is business partnership that is maybe a little toxic. Ok a lot toxic.

The suicide is a sacrifice of ones self to save the deity from becoming mortal and loosing their throne of the underworld. The god resurrects the sacrificed individual but it does happen and it is a bit graphic

. The adventure is fun and the dynamics of the relationship is also fun to watch unfold.

fruitbatflora's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Suicide, and Violence

cassielaj's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Silvia Moreno-Garcia crafts this story with magnificent prose. The settings, both of 1920s Mexico and the dark underworld of Xibalba, really come to life, and the characters are so vibrant and interesting. This book has a great sense of mythology; it reads like a classic epic. I loved learning more about the Mayan myths that this book draws from. 
It took me a long time to finish it (because of my personal life, not because of the book), so I want to go back to it when I’m in a better place to really dive into the story. Casiopeia is a heroine for the ages, and her escape and adventure with Hun-Kamé makes for some incredible storytelling. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Torture, and Murder

libraryofmoss's review

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is quickly winning a position among my favorite contemporary authors. I love how she writes strong, curious, and caring women leads and how I feel immersed in the environment she creates. I went in not knowing much about Mayan culture or stories and enjoyed going along for the ride. Adventurous and emotional but manages to stay light and hopeful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Suicide

margaret_k30's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Death of parent

toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book had a lot of potential in concept but just really failed to execute on anything. Truly not sure what the point of it was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt